Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban was quoted by the state Antara news agency as saying that the December 26 tsunami destroyed more than 350,000 hectares (864,500 acres) of mangrove forest in the province.

Speaking to the press after launching a mangrove reforestation project in Lam Nga village, Aceh Besar district, Kaban said the government planned to plant a total of 150,000 hectares (370,500 acres) of mangroves along the coast.

He said the project was expected to be completed in four years' time.

The minister said he hoped it would encourage local communities to put similar projects into action.

Experts say coastal mangrove forests could help reduce the impact of future tsunami waves by absorbing some of their energy.

They say the extensive destruction of Aceh's mangrove forests was partly to blame for the massive infrastructur damage inflicted by the December 26 tidal waves, which killed more than 160,000 people in the province.

Kaban said the country's mangrove forest coverage has drastically shrunk since 2000. Then, mangrove forests accounted for 9.3 million hectaresmillion acres). Today, however, only 2.65 million hectares (6.54 million acres) remain.

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